D.L.S.P. 10 Wanderers 17
30/03/2008
Wanderers with their faith in their own hands went to Kilternan to play D.L.S.P. in the final game of the season. With a heavy pitch after a morning of heavy rain and the wind howling across the Dublin Mountains it was no day for the faint hearted.
After a slightly nervy start D.L.S.P. drove hard in the forwards and ran some good possesion stretching the Wanderers defence and breaking through to score a fine try which was converted to go seven points up things looked ominous for Wanderers.
Wanderers settled and the pack showed that they were not going to lie down and produced some good possesion . A fine through kick caught the D.L.S.P. defence wrong footed and Paddy Brophy latched on to it at full pace to touch down under the posts (his dad Kevin had warned him when he was clear to make sure he made it easy for the kicker and he did.) Dathi Fitzgerald did what he has been doing all season and added the points.
Wanderers gained good field position from good ball from the forwards with Paul Ryan and Greg Thompson in the ascendency despite some close attention from the D.L.S.P forwards which they were eventually penalised for.
Astute kicking from Dathi and Brendan at the base of the scrum put Wanderers in a good attacking position and some smart inter passing between Brendan and the back row with a neat kick and catch led to an excellent try from Kolo. Dathi as usual added the Points and the score was 14-7.
The D.L.S.P. pack then excerted some good pressure and the Wanderers defence which was excellent for once offered up a penalty chance which they duly converted to make it 14-10.
All to play for in the second half . Wanderers took control from the beginning of the half and again astute kicking from Billy at Full Back Daithi and Brendan made sure the game was played in the right territory. Together with hard grinding work from the pack this insured that D.L.S.P. spent 90% of the second half in their own territory. They defended well but eventually the Wanderers Pressure forced them to cough up a Penalty on the far touch line. Dathi from the heavy ground and across a swirling wind camly knocked it between the posts to make it 17-10.
Wanderers had no intention of slipping up and with some great driving from Bevan Kolo Donny and the rest of the forwards retained control of the match.
The Final whistle came with Wanderers in Control and glad to end the campaign on a high with a win they thoroughly deserved and a final position of 11th in the league table above Dublin University,Thomond, Old Crescent,Suttonians and Barnhall.
